Maximizing Daylighting Through Your Windows

Daylighting is the use of natural means, including angling your home components, to take advantage of sunlight when it’s available. Among other things, such as its obvious health benefits, daylighting can save energy by keeping you from using artificial light when the sun is still around. And naturally, the best way to take advantage of it is to use home replacement windows from Renewal by Andersen®. 

How can you use our products to maximize daylight, though? In today’s post by Renewal by Andersen of Rapid City, we cite a few examples.

Have a Master Plan

When you’re replacing your windows or designing your home, you should first have an idea of how to layout every part of the home so they’re oriented day-ward. This means that your rooms—and where you’re going to place your double-hung or casement window replacement—should be facing the direction where the sun is coming from.

And to do this, you must first know where you are in relation to the rising and setting of the sun. In the northern hemisphere, the sun is generally southward, so you can orient your home to face this direction. From here, you can know where to put your windows and whether you want to enjoy the first rays of sunlight or the orange glow of dusk.

Place Windows on Adjacent Walls

Placing our windows on single walls is a waste. Instead, place them where there are one or more adjacent walls, which allows sunlight to reflect off them. This allows light to penetrate deeper into the room so you don’t need tricks (read: electric lighting) to illuminate those dark corners.

The Higher the Windows, the Better

This is why an awning window installation is perfect for rooms that are otherwise impenetrable to daylight, such as storage areas and basements. The higher the windows are on the wall, the deeper the penetration of daylight into the room. Precisely speaking, you can position a window on the upper third of a wall; at least 30% of it should be at this height.

That’s not all; our high-performance glazing can cast light much more effectively than other window types without actually transmitting heat. It’s just pure light through and through. To learn more about how we do this, call Renewal by Andersen of Rapid City today at (605) 307-5574 or fill out our contact form. We serve residents of Spearfish, SD and nearby areas.